Personal Consulting
It’s probably a waste to spend a lot of time subjecting anyone to my own critique of, and my disappointment with, how badly things are going in our messed up worldwide cultural conversation – the big picture. Plenty of problems and plenty of problematic reactions and non-responses. But, stating the obvious, it’s there no matter how we feel about it. And there’s also no escaping that it’s the world we’re in, navigating – the “out there” environment for the specific, personal realities and challenges faced by all of us and, particularly, the people I work with who consult with me about their situations. As I’ve said in many places I have a special affinity for, and especially love being useful to, those who have personal and professional responsibilities for others, those who are especially affected by a strong sense of duty, and the need to help and come through for them: family, students, clients, fellow employees – anyone counting on you to somehow manage yourself and still be available to them.
What turns out to be true, (and this is not just happy talk) is that despite how messy and dispiriting it gets “out there,” personal situations really can and do get better as a result of what happens – the self -realization and emotional honesty compelling someone to do better – when someone seeks consultation with people like me. And the reason it works – things do get better – is pretty straightforward: sorting things out, thinking out loud, mulling over and getting more clarity about conflicting obligations and motivations, improving clarity around self-awareness, arriving at action steps deserving priority – all have the effect of feeling like real progress and, above all, elevating energy to the authentic hope we’re all hoping is really there.
It’s there. Really.
So – mostly folks sense right away that I’ve been around the proverbial block and have worn a variety of hats as a mental health professional and general helper. Thousands of hours. It would’ve been true anyway, but Covid has made it even clearer, that the best use of me – and my best role – is as an initial resource: start with me and have a frank, adult conversation about the situation. Right away that helps calm the waters – a crucial piece – then, after listening well and asking good questions in both directions, we collaborate to arrive at a path for moving forward. That path is both a renewed emotional focus and mutually agreed action steps.
It’s not psychotherapy. And It’s not online coaching. It’s personal consulting – and it’s not that complicated.
We connect via email to schedule a 90-minute conversation, which occurs on the telephone or via video chat – whichever you’re more comfortable with. 90 minutes allows that extra elbow room for the conversation not to be rushed. Then that’s it. No pitch for anything further.
It’s an engaged, energized, adult conversation about what needs looking at, and where we might go from here. It may just be precisely what works for you, now.